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Solar Type IIIb Radio Bursts as Tracers for Electron Density Fluctuations in the Corona

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Abstract

We present an estimation of the electron density modulation index (\(\frac{\delta{N_{\mathrm{e}}}}{N_{\mathrm{e}}}\)) for the first time using solar type IIIb radio burst observations. The mean value of \(\frac{\delta{N_{\mathrm {e}}}}{N_{\mathrm{e}}}\) is calculated to be \({\approx}\,0.006\pm0.002\) over the heliocentric distance range \(r \approx1.6\,\mbox{--}\,2.2~\text{R}_{\odot}\). The estimated \(\frac {\delta{N_{\mathrm{e}}}}{N_{\mathrm{e}}}\) shows a power law dependence on \(r\) with a power law index \({\approx}\,0.31\pm0.10\). The wavenumber (\(k\)) spectrum for the electron density fluctuation \(({\frac{\delta{N_{\mathrm{e}}}}{N_{\mathrm {e}}}})^{2}\) values shows a Kolmogorov-like behavior. Using \(\frac{\delta{N_{\mathrm{e}}}}{N_{\mathrm{e}}}\) and the Kolmogorov turbulence index, we estimated the amplitude of density turbulence [\(C_{n}^{2}{(r)}\)] in the aforementioned range of \(r\).

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Notes

  1. See http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ .

  2. The scale beyond which turbulence cascade energy begins to dissipate.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the staff of the Gauribidanur Observatory for their help in observations, and maintenance of the antenna, receiver systems there. VM would like to thank Dr. C. Kathiravan and Ms. Anshu Kumari for their contributions towards thoroughly proof-reading the manuscript and providing valuable suggestions. We acknowledge the referee for his/her comments and suggestions which helped us in bringing out the results more clearly.

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  1. Indian Institute of Astrophysics, 2nd Block, Koramangala, Bangalore, 560034, India

    V. Mugundhan & R. Ramesh

  2. NCRA-TIFR, Pune University Campus, Ganeshkhind P.O., Pune, 411007, India

    K. Hariharan

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Mugundhan, V., Hariharan, K. & Ramesh, R. Solar Type IIIb Radio Bursts as Tracers for Electron Density Fluctuations in the Corona. Sol Phys 292, 155 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-017-1181-5

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